lol did it ever pop??

Anonymous wrote:We usually go to the National Harbor/Gaylord for a day during Winter break. The Gaylord just didn't seem as decorated this year, it was a bit of a let down (for me, the kids didn't notice).

The Gaylord was bought my Marriott about 10 years ago. It's been a slow decline ever since - Marriott is not known for consistency or great management but is known for buying and then breaking nice things.

We usually go to the National Harbor/Gaylord for a day during Winter break. The Gaylord just didn't seem as decorated this year, it was a bit of a let down (for me, the kids didn't notice).

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what OP is talking about. Most prices there are up, and townhouses in the waterfront area are going for upwards of 800K, even without any view.

800K for a new THs isn't that expensive for DC metro premium areas. Old townhouses around Tysons go for well over 1 mil and no waterfront.

Anonymous wrote:It's an odd location that doesn't have a lot going for it. The waterfront portion is small, restaurants and stores are meh, parking is really expensive, and it isn't easy to get to if you don't have a car. Navy Yard and the Wharf, in comparison, have a vibe, good restaurants, activities, interesting stores, and are accessible via public transportation.

I think Navy Yard and Wharf are overrated too and difficult to access and park. They have amenities of a resort area, not for everyday residential living, and most restaurants are meh, except maybe a small handful. Not much in terms of stores either, def. not a shopping destination, more like strolling and dining/drinking. It's essentially an overpriced "promenade" that's a PITA to park around and $$$

Not sure what OP is talking about. Most prices there are up, and townhouses in the waterfront area are going for upwards of 800K, even without any view.

PG COUNTY. HELL NO

It's an odd location that doesn't have a lot going for it. The waterfront portion is small, restaurants and stores are meh, parking is really expensive, and it isn't easy to get to if you don't have a car. Navy Yard and the Wharf, in comparison, have a vibe, good restaurants, activities, interesting stores, and are accessible via public transportation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Retail and foot traffic will fail when areas charge for parking. Paying for parking is like paying for shipping. We hate it.
Rockville town center has this problem and so does National Harbor.
If these places want people to come and wander around on weekends to eat and shop there needs to be incentives. Paying to park when other places are free isn’t it.

I went to a friend's party at the Gaylord about two years ago. As I was parking, I was floored by the cost. It was like $15 hr. I ended up staying for an hour and left. National Harbor used to be a fun up-and-coming place. It's odd that it fell off so quickly. Places like that take decades to decline, but it only took a few years there.

High parking costs, traffic getting in because of access roads limits and lack of practical amenities make it less than desirable for people to bother. It feels isolated for me to live there and underserved when it comes to basic amenities people need for daily life. It almost feels like a resort area where focus is on dining/drinking and very limited shopping. Sad suburban strip mall clusters have more useful amenities than Wharf and NH combined, they just don't feel like functional residential areas.

Anonymous wrote:Retail and foot traffic will fail when areas charge for parking. Paying for parking is like paying for shipping. We hate it.
Rockville town center has this problem and so does National Harbor.
If these places want people to come and wander around on weekends to eat and shop there needs to be incentives. Paying to park when other places are free isn’t it.

This. There isn't enough people in DC metro desperate to pay for parking when there are alternative shopping/dining locations where parking is easy/free/cheap. Mostly local people would visit once in a while for a specific restaurant, walking around the waterfront and/or a show/casino, etc. But it's too tedious to bother for practical reasons when there are malls, outlets, various suburban fake "towns", and DC proper where you can find free street parking for a couple of hours or more garage options that are reasonably priced. Navy Yard garage operators think it's Manhattan